NOT REAL NEWS: DeVos didn’t order globes flattened

21 Apr 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos hasn’t ordered that globes in classrooms across America be flattened, contrary to a story being shared on social media.

The story on the website Alternative Science, which says it publishes satire, claims DeVos sent the order to Education Department staffers in a weekend email. A spokeswoman for the department says no such email exists.

The story says DeVos told staff the globes of Earth will be “flattened like God made it just 6,000 years ago” and declared the move will help create jobs “when we hire the flattening teams.” DeVos is also quoted as if she said the Bible is “the best science textbook ever.”

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This is part of The Associated Press’ ongoing effort to fact-check misinformation that is shared widely online, including work with Facebook to identify and reduce the circulation of false stories on the platform.